#crime

Rating: Worth a Watch

I went into Roofman not knowing much beyond the basic premise: a guy robs McDonald's restaurants by drilling through the roof, escapes prison, and hides inside a Toys "R" Us. It's such a bizarre true story that I was immediately interested.

The movie ended up being a lot more charming than I expected.

Channing Tatum carries the film. He's just an incredibly likable actor, and I found myself rooting for Jeffrey Manchester more than I probably should have. Several times throughout the movie I had to remind myself, "This isn't a good dude." He's stealing from people, holding employees hostage, lying to everyone around him, and constantly making selfish decisions. But Tatum brings so much warmth to the role that it's easy to get caught up in wanting things to work out for him.

That's probably the movie's greatest strength—and maybe its biggest challenge. It humanizes Jeffrey without pretending he was a hero.

Kirsten Dunst is excellent as Leigh. She's been showing up in movies and TV for what feels like forever. I still remember first seeing her in Bring It On back when I was in middle school, and she's continued to be one of those actors who always seems to elevate whatever she's in.

Juno Temple has a relatively small role, but she's always fun to see. I really became a fan of hers after Fargo, where she absolutely crushed it.

Jimmy O. Yang also pops up briefly, and I'm always happy to see him. Between Silicon Valley and his stand-up comedy, he's become one of those actors whose appearance immediately makes me smile.

Peter Dinklage is fantastic as the Toys "R" Us manager. His character walks the line between being frustrating and oddly entertaining, and Dinklage makes the most of every scene he's gets.

What surprised me most is how funny the movie is. Even with the serious subject matter, it balances the comedy and drama well enough that it never feels like it's making light of Jeffrey's crimes. Instead, it focuses on the absurdity of the situations he finds himself in while still reminding the audience that his actions have consequences.

If you're expecting a high-octane heist movie, this isn't really that. It's more of a character-driven crime comedy with a surprisingly big heart. Knowing it's based on a real story only makes some of the stranger moments even more enjoyable.

Overall, I had a good time with Roofman. It made me laugh, had a strong cast, and kept me engaged from beginning to end. It's not a movie I'll probably revisit often, but it's absolutely worth watching if you're looking for something a little different.